No. 15 Memphis Rolls into AAC Play Against Tulsa
Memphis vs Tulsa Odds: Tigers Climb to 9-Point Favorites
After a strong showing during the non-conference portion of its schedule, No. 15Memphis now turns its attention to American Athletic Conference play. The Tigers, winners of six straight, visit Tulsa on Thursday (8 p.m. ET) in their conference opener.
A majority of the early money’s coming in on the Tigers, who are 9-point favorites and -425 on the moneyline. Conversely, Tulsa is +330 to win outright. The Over/Under is 153, with a slight lean to the Over at -118.
Can Memphis take care of business? Read on as we break down both college basketballs teams and assess the Memphis vs Tulsa odds.
Memphis at Tulsa 
Day/Time:
Location: Donald W. Reynolds Center; Tulsa, OK.
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Memphis vs Tulsa Betting Trends
The Memphis Tigers are 6-7 ATS but have covered in three of their four NCAAB games away from home. The Tigers are also 9-4 against the Over/Under, having gone Over the total in six of their last seven games. Meanwhile, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane are 5-4-2 ATS, including 5-1-2 at home. Tulsa’s gone Over the total in six of its 11 games.
That’s important to remember when assessing the Memphis vs Tulsa odds.
All’s Well with Memphis
Memphis has won six straight, including Saturday’s 81-70 victory over Austin Peay in which David Jones scored a team-high 19 points. The Tigers (11-2) have notched some impressive wins along the way, with four victories against ranked opponents: No. 20 Arkansas, No. 21 Texas A&M, No. 13 Clemson and No. 22 Virginia.
As such, they’ve climbed to 15th in AP poll, marking the fourth time in the last five seasons under Penny Hardaway in which they’ve been ranked.
Oddsmakers are still a bit skeptical of Memphis’ staying power despite its stout resume, pricing the Tigers +1500 to make the Final Four according to NCAAB Vegas odds.
The Tigers are also +6000 to win the national championship, matching the likes of TCU, Oklahoma and Iowa State. The Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament just twice in the last nine seasons, failing to advance past the second round on both occasions.
Jones, who’s playing for his third school in four NCAAB seasons following stints with DePaul and St. John’s, is Memphis’ leading scorer. The senior forward is averaging 21.2 points to go with 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. Senior guard Jahvon Quinerly, a transfer from Alabama, is averaging 13.1 points, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals.
Memphis has been a bit unpredictable for bettors, going 6-7 ATS. It’s covered just twice in seven games as a favorite. The Tigers have had far more success hitting the Over, going 9-4. Bettors should keep that in mind when analyzing the Memphis vs Tulsa odds.
Jury’s Out on Tulsa
Tulsa’s riding a four-game winning streak, including including a 95-54 rout of Division-II program Southwestern Oklahoma State on Friday. The Golden Hurricane have played only one Power Five opponent, falling 72-57 to Oklahoma State, but do own quality wins over mid-majors like Loyola Chicago and Missouri State.
While Tulsa’s off to a 9-3 start, recent history suggests the Golden Hurricane may have trouble sustaining that success. They’re coming off three consecutive losing seasons, including a 5-25 mark last year under Eric Konkol.
The Golden Hurricane won just one game in American Athletic Conference play.; They haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2015-16, when they were a No. 11 seed and lost in the First Four.
As such, Tulsa is the longest of longshots, to the point where it’s not even on the board to make the Final Four.
Guard PJ Haggerty, a transfer from TCU, leads Tulsa in scoring at 17.2 points per game. Haggerty is also averaging 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.3 steals. The Golden Hurricane suffered a big blow when guard Keaston Willis, their second leading scorer (12.5 PPG), suffered a season-ending foot NCAAB injury.
In its previous three games as an underdog, Tulsa is 1-2 OU and ATS.
Handicapping the Game
It’s difficult to win on the road in college basketball, especially in conference play. But that hasn’t seemed to bother Memphis, which is 5-2 away from home, including 2-1 at neutral sites.
The Tigers’ performance during the non-conference slate suggests this could be one of Hardaway’s best teams yet. They’re both deep and experienced, with their top five scorers all seniors.
Recent trends may work in Tulsa’s favor, as Memphis is just 0-7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings. But when making their college basketball bets, bettors should be open-minded about the direction of both programs this season.
For NCAAB parlays today, betting analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
